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Critical Mass exists because politics, consumer behavior, and business are not moving at the speed and systems level that the climate and sustainability emergency needs
Collaboration to address the climate and sustainability emergency isn’t new. But it’s largely failed. It’s fragmented and often lacks clear goals that align with and connect the whole global context. So much positive collective energy is either unfocused or ignored. That now begs the question: What critical mass could pull politics, consumer behavior, and business into alignment with the Paris Agreement and 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals? Creating “positive tipping points”, is perhaps a more succinct summary. We have to clarify what that critical mass is. And how we convene it.
At the time of founding Critical Mass in May 2024, the starkest example of the urgency required over sustainability is The Guardian’s interviewing of hundreds of climate scientists. Eighty percent expect global warming to hit 2.5 degrees above pre-industrial temperatures. Half expect over 3 degrees. Only 6% expect a limit of 1.5 degrees – in line with the aims of the Paris Agreement.
My optimism, however, is that businesses, bolder politicians, and activists, are increasingly clear that they hold the last levers and should unapologetically move.
The people in sustainability leadership roles are often the right ones. They’re aware of their positions and influence at the center of organizations and systems and want to change them. But the question of critical mass continues to stump every business and leader I meet.
Building a critical mass is not another forum or talking shop effort—it’s convening the most progressive, ambitious, and influential people and groups. People and groups that exist at the center of every organization, industry, government, and system. And pushing the boundaries of their ambition.
Through joint research and convening we can define, amplify, and convene a critical mass for sustainability:
- By adding to a growing pool of research for systemic sustainable change.
- By helping people and organizations to identify their roles in sustainability and maximize their spheres of influence, whether it’s being part of the critical mass or embedding sustainability throughout their worlds.
- By bringing together the right people and right organizations into the right rooms—strengthening existing partnerships and building new coalitions.
- By collecting all of this in writing and continuing to experiment in finding the right messages and stories.
Our current systems must be simultaneously leveraged and changed to meaningfully realize sustainability
Frustratingly, too many of the most powerful firms and politicians of all parties use systemic failure and its barriers to excuse them from moving first. Or at all. Despite the economic and conscientious cases for sustainability becoming clearer, most governments and industries cannot be confident in moving first before deep alignment and regulation guides them. Rather they sit back and wait. The reality is that regulation and a tipping point of public pressure will come. But no one knows when. Better we make the case for being ahead versus frantically reacting to catch up. And in doing so avoid the need for something far more disastrous than anything we’ve seen yet to make that change happen.
Perhaps there’s no good answer to the critical mass question?
Or perhaps a critical mass is whatever shows politics, people, and business that sustainability works on all environmental, social, and economic factors. An undeniable proof and consensus. Removing sustainability from polarized debate. So that it just works—and works for everyone, everywhere.
About me
Josh Matthews
Activist and Founder, Critical Mass for Sustainability
Practice Leader for Sustainability, HFS Research
Lacking a better alternative, I’ve come to call myself an “Activist Analyst”. To me that means making both the objective and emotive case for sustainability. Through research, strategy, and convening partnerships, I hope to keep working with the people and organisations that can move us towards the critical mass and positive tipping points that the global context needs. A critical mass that pulls policy, consumer behavior, and business into alignment with the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Critical Mass for Sustainability exists as a convening point and advocacy platform working alongside my research and advisory work leading the HFS Research sustainability practice.
My past lives include standing for Parliament in the 2024 UK general election; independently advising a large consultancy; research and collaboration for sustainable city and finance initiatives leading up to COP28; in a previous four-year spell at HFS, building and leading its research and advisory practices for sustainability, energy, utilities, and supply chain; speaking at COP26 in Glasgow, based on sustainable supply chain research; training as a chemical engineer in several parts of the energy spectrum; and being elected a City Councillor and opposition spokesperson for climate change, the environment, and the city center.
criticalmass-sustainability.com 